Home > About Palladium Global Science Award > Competition regulations

Competition regulations

REGULATIONS FOR THE PALLADIUM GLOBAL SCIENCE AWARD
(hereinafter referred to as the Competition)

1. TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

  1. 1.1. Application for Participation in the Competition (Application) – A submission form available on the Competition’s website to be completed by the prospective participant and accompanied by supporting documents in accordance with the rules established by the present Regulations, which must be sent to the Operator for the purpose of participating in the Competition.
  2. 1.2. Competition Procedures (Competition) – an annual cycle of the Competition, held every year, consisting of the following main stages: application submission, International Evaluation of Applications, selection of winners, and the awarding of prizes.
  3. 1.3. A Competition Submission consists of the results of theoretical and experimental research (scientific development), a scientific article, or a scientifically grounded, practice-oriented proposal (applied scientific concept) each of which reveals previously unused or unexplored methods of applying palladium-containing materials for further practical implementation.
  4. 1.4. Palladium Global Science Award — An annual international scientific competition aimed at identifying cutting-edge ideas, research and developments, as well as future prospects in the field of palladium applications. This includes the creation of new methods for using palladium, significant improvements in technical and economic performance with palladium, and fostering research on innovative uses of palladium in technologies. The Palladium Global Science Award competition is governed by these Regulations.
  5. 1.5. International Expert Council (Jury) – A group of experts with professional knowledge, experience, and the authority to conduct the International Evaluation of Applications, assess them, and decide on awarding prizes to the winners in the respective nominations.
  6. 1.6. International Evaluation of Applications – A stage in the competition procedures during which each application is assessed by independent international experts (hereinafter referred to as Experts). The results of the evaluation are documented in an expert report.
  7. 1.7. For the purposes of these Regulations, new scientific ideas, research and developments in the field of new palladium applications are those for which the scientific work, article or material submitted to the Competition (Competition Submission) was published, developed or implemented no more than five years before the date of submission of the Application for Participation in the Competition.
  8. 1.8. Nomination – A grouping of research and development directions in palladium applications, structured according to the principle outlined in Clause 2.4 of these Regulations.
  9. 1.9. Competition Award Set (Award) – Includes a stylised statuette, a winner’s diploma, and the monetary component of the award (Prize Fund).
  10. 1.10. Competition Operator (Operator) – The legal entity responsible for the preparation, organisation, and summarising of the Competition, awarding winners, and promoting the Competition via modern information resources, in accordance with these Regulations.
  11. 1.11. Winner Selection – The stage of the competition procedures concluding with the International Expert Council’s (Jury) decision to award prizes to the participants with the highest Total Scores. The decision is formalised in a protocol signed by all participating Jury members.
  12. 1.12. Competition Partner – An individual or organisation providing informational, organisational, or financial support for the Competition. The General Partner of the Competition assumes a primary role in supporting and promoting the Competition on both a regional and global scale.
  13. 1.13. Competition Winner – An honorary international title awarded to a scientist from among the participants for outstanding achievements in scientific ideas, research, development, and future prospects in palladium applications.
  14. 1.14. Regulations for the Palladium Global Science Award (Regulations) – A document defining the terminology and rules for conducting the international scientific competition on palladium applications, determining the Competition’s results, approving and awarding the winners, and regulating other legal matters arising from the Competition.
  15. 1.15. Prize Fund – The monetary component of the award established by the Operator and distributed among the winners based on the decision of the International Expert Council (Jury) and in accordance with these Regulations.

  16. 1.16 The support and promotional programme for Competition participants (hereinafter referred to as the Competition Accelerator or Accelerator) is a set of measures taken by the Operator to provide Competition Partners and interested organizations (companies) with Presentation Information and full materials of participants’ Competition Submissions (subject to Clause 8.7 of the present Regulations), as well as arranging meetings, negotiations and participation in events aimed at establishing commercial, scientific and practical contacts between Competition participants and Competition Partners or interested organizations (companies) for the purpose of further promoting and practically implementing a given entry submitted to the Competition. Participation in the Accelerator is voluntary, free of charge for the Competition participant and independent of the results of the International Evaluation of Applications and the participant’s status as a Competition winner.

    An interested organization (company) is defined as any legal entity that is not a Competition Partner as set out in Clause 1.12 of the present Regulations, that has expressed interest in a Competition participant’s entry with the intention of establishing business contacts with the participant within the framework of the Accelerator.

    Presentation Information is defined as the part of the application materials published within the framework of the Accelerator, including the Competition participant’s name, the nomination and category (in accordance with Clauses 2.3 and 2.4 of the present Regulations), and a brief, non-confidential description of the contents of the Competition Submission, excluding technical solutions, know-how and any other information, the disclosure of which could affect the patentability or other legal protections of the entry.

  17. 1.17. Total Score – The sum of scores assigned by the Experts of the International Expert Council (Jury) according to established evaluation criteria for each application. The Qualifying Total Score is the threshold score determined by the International Expert Council (Jury), reflecting the quality of the application submitted.

  18. 1.18. A Competition Participant – an individual who has submitted an application for the Competition and has been approved by the Operator to proceed to the International Evaluation of Applications. The person who submitted the application participates in the Competition. If the Competition Submission was created by a group of authors, the application for participation in the Competition is submitted by one person – a Competition participant authorized by the group of authors. The specified Competition participant acts on behalf of the group of authors, independently settles all issues related to the submission of the application, participation in the Competition, and the distribution of potential awards with the co-authors. The organizer and operator of the Competition do not adjudicate disputes between co-authors and are not responsible for mutual settlements and other relations between the participant in the Competition and the group of authors.

    Participation in the Competition on behalf of or in the interests of a third party is not permitted, except for submitting an application for a Competition Submission created by a group of authors in compliance with the rules established by these Regulations.

2. GENERAL PROVISIONS

  1. 2.1. The Competition is held to attract the attention of scientists and the international scientific community to new developments related to the use of palladium in advanced materials and high-tech applications, unique pilot projects, and the improvement of existing technological processes.
  2. 2.2. The Competition process is an annual cycle consisting of several stages: application submission, International Evaluation of Applications, determination of winners, and the awarding of the winners of the Competition.
  3. 2.3. Applications for participation in the Competition must present new scientific ideas, research, and developments involving palladium-containing materials with unique properties that have the potential to create new industrial applications of palladium in the following industries, including but not limited to (application categories):
    1. 2.3.1. Classical and alternative energy.
    2. 2.3.2. Metallurgy.
    3. 2.3.3. Chemical technology.
    4. 2.3.4. Nanotechnology.
    5. 2.3.5. Medicine and biotechnology.
    6. 2.3.6. Electronics and microelectronics (including information display devices).
    7. 2.3.7. Electrical engineering (including energy storage and accumulation devices).
    8. 2.3.8. Construction technologies.
    9. 2.3.9. Environmental technologies (including water and air purification).
  4. 2.4. Applications for participation in the Competition are accepted under the categories listed in Clause 2.3 of these Regulations and are further divided into three Competition nominations:
    1. 1) New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Development;
    2. 2) New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Article;
    3. 3) New Palladium Applications: Best Applied Concept.
  5. 2.5. The number and content of the application categories, as well as the Competition nominations, may be adjusted by the Competition Operator and will be announced in the official call for applications.
  6. 2.6. The goals of the Competition are as follows:
    1. 2.6.1. To promote scientific research and development into applications of palladium by engaging scientists, researchers, and specialists to integrate new palladium-based technologies into addressing contemporary global challenges.
    2. 2.6.2. To encourage (incentivise) leading scientists, engineers, researchers, and experts from different countries to develop materials, technologies, and equipment using palladium for the benefit of humanity.
    3. 2.6.3 To facilitate the establishment of business, scientific and practical contacts between Competition participants and Competition Partners, as well as interested organizations (companies), within the framework of the Competition Accelerator, with the aim of promoting, providing additional support for, and practically implementing the scientific ideas, research and developments submitted to the Competition.
  7. 2.7. Participation in the Competition is open to individuals regardless of nationality, race, citizenship, gender, age, religion, or social status.
  8. 2.8. The following individuals are not eligible to win the Competition: members of the International Expert Council (Jury), employees (contractors or subcontractors) of, or those directly or indirectly dependent on, the Operator of the Competition, Competition Partners or members of the International Expert Council (Jury), individuals who have participated in the Competition twice under the same application, and posthumous award winners. A person who was previously a member of the International Expert Council may participate in the competition as a participant only after one year has elapsed since the termination of their membership on the International Expert Council (Jury).
  9. 2.9. The monetary portion of the award (Prize Fund) is determined annually by the Operator and is announced in the official call for applications.
  10. 2.10. The official and working language of the Competition is English.
  11. 2.11. In informational materials and advertisements for the Competition, the Operator and Partner of the Competition may be mentioned jointly or separately.
  12. 2.12. Intellectual property rights to copyrighted works, inventions, or other articles of industrial property remain with the participants of the Competition. By participating, participants do not transfer these rights to the Operator, Partner, or any third party.
  13. 2.13. In the event of force majeure circumstances or other circumstances beyond the Operator’s control that hinder the conduct of the Competition, including natural disasters, armed conflicts, pandemics, cyberattacks, or decisions (regulations, acts), actions or measures taken by government authorities that prevent the implementation of the Competition stages, the Operator shall be entitled to modify the timelines and procedures for the Competition stages provided for in these Regulations.

3. ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE COMPETITION

  1. 3.1. Applications for participation in the Competition are accepted annually within the timeframe established and announced by the Operator.
  2. 3.2 The application submission stage lasts no more than 180 (one hundred and eighty) calendar days. The exact dates for submitting applications are determined by the Operator within this timeframe and are announced in the call for applications.
  3. 3.3. Upon receiving an application from a Competition participant, the Operator will conduct an initial review to verify that the application meets the requirements of these Regulations.
  4. 3.4. The right to submit an application to participate in the Competition is granted to scientists, experts, researchers, and Ph.D. students/doctoral candidates (postgraduates), as well as individuals engaged in scientific research activities at scientific or analytical centers, universities, institutes, or other relevant research organizations, including the research and development departments of commercial and non-commercial organizations and R&D centers. This excludes individuals engaged solely in administrative and/or organizational activities.
    For the purposes of the present Regulations, administrative or organisational activity is taken to refer to planning, organising, directing, overseeing and coordinating various aspects of an organisation’s work and does not include systematic and methodological research carried out in order to obtain new knowledge or confirm existing theories.
  5. 3.5. Applications must be submitted through the application form available on the Competition’s official website and must comply with the following requirements:
  6. 3.5.1. For the New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Development nomination, the application must include:
    • A detailed description of the development, including a clear and unambiguous formulation of its compliance with one or more categories listed in Clause 2.3 of these Regulations;
    • Documentary evidence of the applied nature of the development (e.g., test protocols, implementation reports, or other supporting documents);
    • Documentary confirmation of the applicant’s authorship (e.g., an official letter from the organisation or other relevant document);
    • A patent for the development or its individual elements (if available);
    • Published scientific articles authored by the Competition participant or abstracts from a scientific conference in which the Competition participant participated (if available);
    • A CV containing the applicant’s full name, contact phone number, email, academic titles, awards (if any), achievements, and positions held (including previous places of employment).

    Applications may also be accompanied by international and/or national patents, opinions issued by relevant agencies, councils or research centres, and letters of recommendation. Applicants may also submit documents confirming that applications for the registration of patent rights are under consideration by a patent office, or scientific articles accepted by scientific publications and being prepared for publication.

  7. 3.5.2. For the New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Article nomination, the application must include:
    • A scientific article and a justification containing a clear and unambiguous statement demonstrating that the palladium application corresponds to one or more of the categories defined in Clause 2.3 of these Regulations;
    • A CV containing the applicant’s full name, contact phone number, email, academic titles, awards (if any), achievements, positions held (including previous places of employment), and a list of key scientific publications.

    Both published scientific articles and those accepted for publication with official confirmation are eligible for submission.

  8. 3.5.3. For the New Palladium Applications: Best Applied Concept nomination, the application must include an analytical review in which all information is accompanied by up-to-date references to sources, comprising:
    • A description of the proposed product (type, functionality in the device or technology), the role and advantages of palladium, and the challenges the proposed palladium-containing product addresses;
    • An expert assessment of the specific palladium content in the proposed product and a forecast of its potential recovery rate through recycling;
    • An approximate assessment of the market size for the proposed product and a trend forecast;
    • An analysis of the competitive advantages of the product compared to existing alternatives in terms of cost, key properties, and service life;
    • An analysis of the product’s implementation prospects (timeline estimates considering the complexity of development, testing, and potential additional investment in the final product if the proposed product is not final, e.g., a catalyst);
    • A CV containing the applicant’s full name, contact phone number, email, academic titles, awards (if any), achievements, positions held (including previous places of employment), and a list of key scientific publications (if available).
  9. 3.5.4. The quality of applications in the New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Development and New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Article nominations will be assessed more favourably if the justification for the application includes an analytical review similar to that required for the New Palladium Applications: Best Applied Concept nomination, as set out in Clause 3.5.3 of these Regulations.
  10. 3.6. Competition participants shall submit their applications in accordance with the categories and nominations specified in Sections 2.3 and 2.4 of the Regulations, taking into account the requirements for submitting applications set out in Section 3.5 of the Regulations and guided by the evaluation criteria established in Section 4.9 of the Regulations. The Operator has the right to request additional materials and clarifications from the Competition participant regarding the submitted application. If two or more applications are submitted in one nomination for the same Competition Submission created by a group of authors, the consideration of such applications shall be suspended, and they shall not participate in the Competition procedures until the participants in the Competition withdraw excess applications and there remains only one application for the specified Competition Submission. If, by the deadline for accepting applications, there are still several applications submitted for one Competition Submission created by a group of authors, all such applications shall be canceled and considered not submitted. The operator has the right (but is not obliged) to request additional information confirming that there is no dispute between the authors regarding the Competition Submission created by a group of authors. In other cases, the provision of additional information is not required.
  11. 3.7. Applications and accompanying documentation must be submitted in English.
  12. 3.8. By submitting an application, a Competition participant confirms the accuracy of the information provided in the application and the documents attached to the application, and agrees to the terms and conditions of the Competition as established by these Regulations. Participants explicitly give their full consent to participation in the Competition, consent of the group of authors to participate in the Competition, if the Competition Submission was created by a group of authors, and to the ongoing use of their name (in full and in short), a description of their scientific work, invention, discovery or article, and their photographs and other images as winners of the Competition during events, in informational materials, and in press releases and advertising materials from the Operator or Partner, including after the Competition has concluded and in the further promotion of the Competition. They also agree to the use (processing) of their personal data (including but not limited to collection, storage, processing and transmission), and the publication of their interviews and quotes in the media. Consent to the use (processing) of personal data is provided for the entire duration of the Competition and on an ongoing basis until consent is revoked.
  13. 3.9. By submitting an application for participation in the Competition, a Competition participant, regardless of whether they are declared a winner, is included in the Competition Accelerator with respect to the Presentation Information pertaining to their Competition Submission and hereby consents to:
    • the sharing of the Presentation Information pertaining to their Competition Submission with Competition Partners and interested organizations (companies);
    • the use of their name (in full or abbreviated form) and Presentation Information for their Competition Submission in information resources, presentations and other promotional activities within the framework of the Competition Accelerator;
    • the transfer of their contact details by the Operator to a Competition Partner or interested organization (company) should the latter express interest in the Presentation Information for their Competition Submission;
    • their voluntary participation in meetings, negotiations and events organized by the Operator alongside Competition Partners and interested organizations (companies) within the framework of the Competition Accelerator, subject to the prior notification of the participant regarding said meetings, negotiations and events.

    Competition Partners and interested organizations (companies) may be granted access to the full materials associated with a Competition Submission (beyond the Presentation Information) only where the Competition participant has given separate consent and in compliance with the requirements of Clause 8.7 of the present Regulations.

    Competition participants may withdraw from further participation in the Competition Accelerator at any time by giving appropriate notice to the Operator. Withdrawal from the Competition Accelerator does not affect the status of a participant’s application with respect to the Competition procedures, nor does it negate the rights and obligations set out in other Sections of the present Regulations, or have any retroactive effect concerning Presentation Information or materials that have already been provided to a Competition Partner or interested organization (company) prior to the receipt of such notice by the Operator.

  14. 3.10. The Operator accepts for consideration applications for participation in the Competition that comply with all requirements set out in Clauses 1.7, 2.3 and 3.5–3.7 of the present Regulations. Applications submitted for consideration are assigned to one of the three nominations set out in Clause 2.4 of the present Regulations.

4. INTERNATIONAL EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE COMPETITION

  1. 4.1. Participant applications that meet the requirements of these Regulations and have passed the initial review are forwarded by the Operator to the International Expert Council (the Jury) for the International Evaluation of Applications and selection of the Competition winners.
  2. 4.2. The International Evaluation of Applications is conducted within the timeframe established by the Operator and must not exceed 30 (thirty) calendar days.
  3. 4.3. The composition of the International Expert Council (the Jury) is formed from Competition Experts, consisting of 5 (five) to 7 (seven) Experts, and is approved by the Operator for an indefinite term. Members of the Jury are selected from among full-time staff of leading international universities, R&D centres, scientific organisations, and laboratories in the fields of chemistry, materials science, energy, metallurgy, and other fields. They must also meet the following criteria:
    • Publication of thematic scientific articles in international journals ranked at least Q2;
    • Demonstrate proven experience in leading scientific teams or schools.

    The International Expert Council (the Jury) comprises all Competition Experts. The activities of the Jury are managed by the Chairperson, elected for a two-year term by the Operator from among the members of the Jury. If the Chairperson is unable to fulfil their duties during a meeting, the Jury shall, by a majority vote of those present, appoint a substitute Chairperson from among its members for the duration of that meeting.

  4. 4.4. The Operator may annually rotate up to 3 (three) members of the International Expert Council (the Jury). Decisions regarding the rotation and approval of the new membership are made by the Operator through internal regulatory acts.
  5. 4.5. Grounds for the rotation of Jury members include:
    1. 4.5.1. A voluntary request to leave the Jury.
    2. 4.5.2. Inability to perform the duties of a Jury member due to health reasons.
    3. 4.5.3. Violation of any obligations outlined in Clause 4.8 of these Regulations.
  6. 4.6. Members of the International Expert Council (the Jury) receive remuneration for evaluating applications and selecting winners. The remuneration amount is determined by the Operator.
  7. 4.7. Members of the International Expert Council (the Jury) have the right to:
    1. 4.7.1. Access all necessary information regarding the Jury’s activities and Competition procedures.
    2. 4.7.2. Obtain comprehensive information about Competition Submissions, scientific research, articles and materials submitted to the Competition by Competition participants, and review their content.
    3. 4.7.3. Make decisions and take actions related to the conduct of the meeting and the formalisation/documentation of its outcomes.
    4. 4.7.4. Propose improvements to the Jury’s activities and Competition procedures.
  8. 4.8. Members of the International Expert Council (the Jury) are required to:
    1. 4.8.1. Comply with these Regulations and other governing documents of the Competition.
    2. 4.8.2. Maintain confidentiality regarding the Jury’s activities, the personal data of Competition participants, Competition procedures, application discussions, and decisions made.
    3. 4.8.3. Attend all Jury meetings and official events related to the Competition upon invitation by the Operator.
    4. 4.8.4. Keep Jury decisions regarding the Competition winners confidential until the official announcement as set out in these Regulations.
    5. 4.8.5. Avoid actions, statements or comments that could harm the business reputation of the Operator or Competition Partner, or the overall image of the Competition.
  9. 4.9. During the International Evaluation of Applications, each application in the New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Development and New Palladium Applications: Best Applied Concept nominations shall be evaluated for maximum compliance with the following evaluation criteria:
    1. 1) Novelty;
    2. 2) Scientific and technical feasibility (including timelines and development/implementation potential);
    3. 3) Market prospects (including market size, dynamics, and ESG compliance);
    4. 4) Competitive advantage (in terms of cost, key properties, and lifespan compared to existing alternatives);
    5. 5) Readiness level (the stage of readiness of the subject matter of the application for practical use);
    6. 6) Application quality (completeness, thoroughness, and logical substantiation).

    For the New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Article nomination, each application shall be evaluated for maximum compliance with the following evaluation criteria:

    1. 1) Novelty;
    2. 2) Scientific and technical feasibility (including timelines and development/implementation potential);
    3. 3) Scope of application and advantages;
    4. 4) Readiness level (the stage of readiness of the subject matter of the application for practical use);
    5. 5) Application quality (completeness, thoroughness, and logical substantiation).
  10. 4.10. An expert is prohibited from evaluating an application if they:
    1. 4.10.1. Are or were in an employment, financial, or partnership relationship with the participant;
    2. 4.10.2. Contributed to preparing the application;
    3. 4.10.3. Are or were related to the participant;
    4. 4.10.4. Have co-authored publications with the participant.
  11. 4.11. The experts undertake to review the applications for participation in the Competition, evaluate them in accordance with the criteria set out in Clause 4.9 of the present Regulations, and prepare expert reports indicating the Total Score for each application. Applications in each Competition nomination are ranked in descending order of their Total Score. The results of the rankings, determined through the International Evaluation of Applications, serve as the basis for the preliminary nomination of applications in accordance with Clause 5.4 but do not constitute a final decision on naming the winners of the Competition. The final determination of the Competition winners is to be made by the International Expert Council (Jury) during a meeting conducted in accordance with Section 5 of the present Regulations.
  12. 4.12. The composition of the expert panel, the content of the expert reports, and the discussions and decision-making process during the meetings of the International Expert Council (Jury) constitute strictly confidential information. Confidentiality requirements apply in full to the preliminary nomination of applications, their presentation, collective discussions, evaluation and voting conducted in accordance with Clause 5.4 of the present Regulations. Applications, evaluations, discussions and the results of voting shall not be disclosed or transmitted to third parties and shall remain confidential until the official announcement of the Competition results in accordance with Clause 5.6 of the present Regulations. Any breach of confidentiality shall result in the rejection of the relevant application for participation in the Competition and/or the removal of the expert responsible for the given breach.

5. DETERMINATION OF COMPETITION WINNERS

  1. 5.1. The winners of the Competition are determined by the International Expert Council (the Jury) in accordance with the procedures established by these Regulations.
  2. 5.2. The decision on awarding prizes in the Competition is made by the International Expert Council (the Jury) at its meeting within 10 (ten) calendar days after the completion of the International Evaluation of Applications.
  3. 5.3. A meeting is considered quorate if at least 2/3 of the members of the International Expert Council (the Jury) are present. Online meetings are allowed, provided strict confidentiality conditions are adhered to.
  4. 5.4. The winners in each nomination of the Competition shall be determined at a meeting of the International Expert Council (Jury) according to the following procedure:
    1. 5.4.1. Preliminary nomination. Prior to the meeting, each member of the International Expert Council (Jury), taking into account the results of the International Evaluation of Applications and the ranking provided for in Clause 4.11 of the present Regulations, shall propose one application they consider to be the strongest in each Competition nomination.
    2. 5.4.2. Presentation of proposed applications. At the meeting, the Chair of the International Expert Council (Jury), or a designated replacement, shall present each application proposed in accordance with Clause 5.4.1 of the present Regulations. The member of the International Expert Council (Jury) who proposed a given application shall justify their choice before the other members of the International Expert Council (Jury).
    3. 5.4.3. Collective discussion. Following the presentation of all applications proposed for each nomination, the International Expert Council (Jury) shall hold a joint discussion concerning the given applications.
    4. 5.4.4. Evaluation of proposed applications. Following the discussion, each member of the International Expert Council (Jury) shall assign a score to each proposed application on a scale from 1 (one) to 5 (five) points.
    5. 5.4.5. Calculation of results. The Operator shall calculate the Total Score for each proposed application, based on the evaluation conducted in accordance with Clause 5.4.4 of the present Regulations, and provide the calculation to the Chair of the International Expert Council (Jury).
    6. 5.4.6. Determination of first place. The Chair of the International Expert Council (Jury) shall announce the application that has achieved the highest Total Score, calculated in accordance with Clause 5.4.5 of the present Regulations, as the first place winner of the Competition in the relevant nomination. The International Expert Council (Jury) shall vote to confirm the announced result in the manner set out in Clause 5.4.9 of the present Regulations.
    7. 5.4.7. Determination of second place. For the New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Development and New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Article nominations, which each provide for two winners, the Chair of the International Expert Council (Jury), following the determination of first place in accordance with Clause 5.4.6 of the present regulations, shall announce the application with the next highest Total Score as the second placed winner. The International Expert Council (Jury) shall vote to confirm the announced result in the manner set out in Clause 5.4.9 of the present Regulations. No second place is awarded in the New Palladium Applications: Best Applied Concept nomination.
    8. 5.4.8. Tie in Total Score. If, following the calculation set out in Clause 5.4.5 of the present Regulations, two or more proposed applications achieve the same highest Total Score, the deciding vote in determining the ranking shall be made by the Chair of the International Expert Council (Jury) or their designated replacement.
    9. 5.4.9. Confirmation vote. The vote to confirm the result announced by the Chair of the International Expert Council (Jury) in accordance with Clauses 5.4.6 and 5.4.7 of the present Regulations shall be conducted in compliance with the rules set out in Clause 5.4.11 of the present Regulations. In the event of a tie in votes cast by members of the International Expert Council (Jury) during the confirmation vote, the Chair of the International Expert Council (Jury) or their replacement shall cast the deciding vote.
    10. 5.4.10. Documentation. Decisions made by the International Expert Council (Jury) concerning all Competition nominations, made as set out in the present Section, shall be recorded in the protocol on Competition results as set out in Clause 5.6 of the present Regulations.
    11. 5.4.11. The following rules apply to any vote held by the International Expert Council (Jury) in order to determine the winners of the Competition:
      • each member of the International Expert Council (Jury) has one vote;
      • participation in voting is mandatory for each member of the International Expert Council (Jury) who is present at the meeting. Abstention from voting is not permitted;
      • a decision shall be deemed adopted if voted for by a majority of members of the International Expert Council (Jury) participating in voting, except in cases provided for in Clauses 5.4.8 and 5.4.9 of the present Regulations.
  5. 5.5. If the applications submitted by Competition participants in any of the Competition nominations fail to achieve the Qualifying Total Score reflecting the application’s quality based on the established evaluation criteria (Clause 4.9 of the present Regulations), as determined by the International Expert Council (Jury), then the International Expert Council (Jury) shall determine that there are no winners in the relevant nomination for that year, and the remaining portion of the award (prize fund) set aside for that nomination shall be carried over to the following year of the Competition.
  6. 5.6. The outcomes of the meeting of the International Expert Council (the Jury) are documented by the Chairperson or their substitute in a protocol detailing the decisions made, which is signed by the members of the Jury participating in the meeting. Any objections regarding the meeting procedure and the documentation of the decisions shall be resolved by the Chairperson or their substitute on the same day. The decisions made by the International Expert Council (the Jury) are final and cannot be revisited or cancelled.

The names of the winners in the respective nominations are announced by the representative of the Competition Operator or the Chairperson of the International Expert Council (the Jury) within 5 (five) calendar days after the meeting of the Jury.

6. AWARDING OF COMPETITION WINNERS

  1. 6.1. The awarding of the Competition winners takes place either as an independent event or as part of the agenda of international forums, conferences, sessions, and other specialised events of an economic, scientific, technological, or educational nature.
  2. 6.2. The winners of the Competition are entitled to the Competition Award Set (Clause 1.9 of these Regulations). The diploma and statuette for the Competition winners are presented during the awards ceremony. The monetary part of the Prize Fund will be distributed among the winners as follows:
    • Winners in the New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Development nomination receive $120,000 (one hundred twenty thousand US dollars) for 1st place and $60,000 (sixty thousand US dollars) for 2nd place;
    • Winners in the New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Article nomination receive $80,000 (eighty thousand US dollars) for 1st place and $40,000 (forty thousand US dollars) for 2nd place;
    • The winner in the New Palladium Applications: Best Applied Concept nomination receives $50,000 (fifty thousand US dollars).
  3. 6.3. The monetary prize (Prize Fund) will be paid to the winners within 30 (thirty) calendar days after the Competition awards ceremony. In case of cancellation or postponement of the awards ceremony, the monetary part of the prize will be paid to the winners by the end of the year of the Competition. The monetary reward (prize fund) shall be paid to the winners of the Competition in accordance with the tax legislation of the country in which the Operator conducts its activities. The winner of the Competition shall independently pay taxes and report to the regulatory authorities in accordance with the legislation of their country of jurisdiction.
  4. 6.4. If a Competition Winner refuses to accept the award, including the monetary portion of the award (Prize Fund), or does not dispose of the award in the interests of science or education by the end of the year in which the Competition is held, the portion of the monetary award (Prize Fund) due to that Competition Winner shall remain at the Operator’s disposal for the purpose of covering payments from the Prize Fund for the following year’s Competition.
  5. 6.5. The Operator will announce the date, time, and location of the awards ceremony no later than 10 (ten) calendar days before the event. The winners will participate in all scientific and educational activities, including specialised discussion platforms conducted with the Operator’s involvement or on its initiative.
  6. 6.6. The winners must personally attend the awards ceremony and deliver a brief speech about their work and participation in the Competition.
  7. 6.7. The winners of the Competition will be mentioned in all informational materials and press releases of the Operator and/or Competition Partner about the Competition and the achievements of the winners at the discretion of the Operator/Competition Partner, without the need for additional consent from the participants and/or winners.

7. WINNERS OF THE COMPETITION AND SUPPORT AT THE AWARDS CEREMONY

  1. 7.1. The rights and obligations of the Competition winners, as well as the payment of the monetary portion of the prize (Prize Fund), are regulated by a contract that the winner signs with the Operator.
  2. 7.2. Within one year after the awards ceremony, the Competition Winner is obliged, free of charge and by agreement with the Operator, to:
    1. 7.2.1. Participate in an extended interview for the Operator, through media outlets selected by the Operator, or at a press conference summarizing the Competition;
    2. 7.2.2. Participate in two public events (lectures, forums, conferences, congresses, symposia, and other events with scientific, economic, or international significance) conducted by the Operator or at the Operator’s invitation;
    3. 7.2.3. Inform the Operator about any events they plan to attend, published articles, interviews, books, and provide relevant photo and video materials, quotes from speeches, and textual materials related to the Competition winner’s scientific activities.
    4. 7.2.4. Winners in the New Palladium Applications: Best Scientific Development nomination must prepare scientific articles based on their research and development results and, in coordination with the Operator, submit them for publication in international scientific journals.
  3. 7.3. As part of the participation in the awards ceremony or events at the Operator’s invitation, the winner shall be provided, at the Operator’s expense, with the following:
    1. 7.3.1. Travel expenses for the winner and one accompanying person will be reimbursed, as well as accommodation in a hotel not lower than a 4-star level for the duration of participation in the Operator’s events, taking into account the necessary time for arrival and departure.
    2. 7.3.2. Transportation services for the entire duration of participation in the Operator’s events.
    3. 7.3.3. An assistant will be provided to the winner for programme coordination and to facilitate interaction with the Operator.
  4. 7.4. Services received by the winner on their own initiative or without prior coordination with the Operator, including additional services (room service, minibars, bars, laundry, dry cleaning and ironing, concierge services at hotels, phone calls, internet services, business centre usage, meals outside the programme, exchange or purchase of travel documents without the Operator’s approval), will be paid for by the winner independently, and the Operator will not provide compensation for these services.

8. COMPETITION ACCELERATOR

  1. 8.1. The Operator shall establish a Competition Accelerator for Competition participants, which shall comprise a set of measures aimed at promoting the Competition Submissions, independent of a given participant’s status as winner and the results of the International Evaluation of Applications.
  2. 8.2. Within the framework of the Competition Accelerator, the Operator is entitled, without obtaining additional consent from the Competition Participant in each specific instance, to do the following:
    1. 8.2.1. Provide Competition Partners and interested organizations (companies) with Presentation Information regarding participants’ Competition Submissions;
    2. 8.2.2. Establish contact between a Competition Partner or interested organization (company) and a participant who authored a specific Competition Submission, where the Partner or organization in question has expressed interest in the Presentation Information for that entry;
    3. 8.2.3. Organize in-person and/or remote meetings and negotiations between the Competition participant and a Competition Partner or interested organization (company);
    4. 8.2.4. Assist Competition participants in preparing presentation materials about their Competition Submissions, and promote Presentation Information concerning the Competition participant’s Competition Submission in informational materials, at the Operator’s events and on other public platforms;
    5. 8.2.5. Invite Competition participants to attend events (forums, conferences, presentation sessions, and other events) held by the Operator or a Competition Partner, or with their participation, for the purpose of promoting Presentation Information concerning the Competition participant’s Competition Submission.
  3. 8.3. Participation in the Competition Accelerator is entirely free of charge for the Competition participant: the Operator does not charge the Competition participant a fee for providing assistance as set out in Clause 8.2 of the present Regulations.
  4. 8.4. A participant’s personal participation in meetings, negotiations and events organized by the Operator as part of the Accelerator is a condition of participation in the Competition Accelerator, provided the participant has been notified in advance and has agreed to participate. If a participant repeatedly and without valid reason fails to attend meetings or events that have been organized following an expression of interest from a Competition Partner or interested organization (company), the Operator reserves the right to suspend further activities aimed at promoting the entry of the participant in question within the framework of the Accelerator until the participant confirms their willingness to participate.
  5. 8.5. The Operator does not guarantee that the Competition participant will realize any commercial, financial or other outcome as a result of the meetings and negotiations, and bears no liability for the content, performance or non-performance of any agreements, nor for any actions or decisions taken by the Competition Partner or interested organization (company) with respect to the Competition participant.
  6. 8.6. The disclosure of Presentation Information and, subject to the conditions set out in Clause 8.7 of the present Regulations, Competition Submission materials to Competition Partners and interested organizations (companies) within the framework of the Competition Accelerator does not affect or alter the confidentiality regime set out in Clauses 4.8.2 and 4.12 of the present Regulations with respect to the conduct of the International Evaluation of Applications, the content of expert reports, and the deliberations and decisions of the International Expert Council (Jury).
  7. 8.7. The Operator is entitled, within the framework of the Competition Accelerator, without restriction and without obtaining additional consent from Competition participants, to disclose exclusively Presentation Information concerning a given Competition Submission to Competition Partners and interested organizations (companies). Full materials concerning Competition Submissions (including technical descriptions, drawings, calculations, analytical reviews, and other information, the disclosure of which could impact the patentability or other legal protections of the Competition Submission) shall be disclosed to a Competition Partner or interested organization (company) only where the following conditions are simultaneously met:
    • separate consent has been obtained from the Competition participant to disclose the full materials to a specific Competition Partner or interested organization (company);
    • the Competition Partner or interested organization (company) has signed a confidentiality (non-disclosure) agreement with the Operator, stipulating an obligation not to disclose the materials received to third parties or use them for any purpose other than evaluating the potential for cooperation with the Competition participant.

    The Operator shall not be liable for any breach of confidentiality obligations by a Competition Partner or interested organization (company) under a confidentiality agreement; however, the Operator is obliged to provide reasonable assistance to the Competition participant in protecting their rights in the event of such a breach coming to the Operator’s attention.

  8. 8.8. Intellectual property rights to the Competition Submission, copyright-protected works and other protected subject matter disclosed within the framework of the Competition Accelerator remain with the Competition participant in accordance with Clause 2.12 of the present Regulations and are not transferred to the Operator, Competition Partner or interested organization (company) by virtue of their participation in the Competition Accelerator.

Please provide your name, organisation and email to stay informed about the latest news

Checkboxes